Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Gators eager to end skid with bowl win
The Florida Gators’ season-ending three-game skid in 2015 ended with the worse defeat of all, a 41-7 collapse during the Citrus Bowl against Michigan.
The Gators are determined to avoid a similar collapse when they face Iowa at 1 p.m. Jan. 2 in the Outback Bowl.
The game pits schools from the nation’s two best football conferences and with similar 8-4 records built on the strength of strong defenses and despite struggling offenses.
UF is 115 nationally in total offense and sixth in total defense, while Iowa is 120th nationally in total offense and 24th in total defense.
“It will probably be in the 40s or 30s, one of those kinds of games, sort of like an arena game,” longtime Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz joked.
With so much focus on the College Football Playoff semifinals Dec. 31, the game could be an afterthought for many college football fans. But the bowl is critical for the UF program.
“It’s going to mean a lot,” Florida senior linebacker Jarrad Davis. “It’s going to show that we have fight. That’s how big this challenge is to show that we can continue to fight. When later on in the season things haven’t really gone our way. But just to continue to push and continue to fight through down times, that’s going to show what we’re made of.
“I don’t think people realize what exactly we have in us. It’s another opportunity for us to showcase it.”
UF will enter the bowl game on a two-game losing streak following Saturday’s 54-16 loss to Alabama. Last season, the Gators lost to Florida State and Alabama in consecutive weeks
Coach Jim McElwain believes his team will be prepared and show up this time during the bowl game.
McElwain said players like Davis were all business during a team meeting Sunday.
“This morning’s team meeting obviously was met with a lot of different emotions,” he said. “But one of the overriding emotions was that we were able to say this is a place we think we’re gonna go, the opportunity to play a Big Ten opponent.
“Like I’ve said, I really like this football team. You know what, they’ve committed to a higher standard.”
The Jan. 1 loss to Michigan undid many of the good vibes created during a turnaround season under McElwain, who led UF to the SEC East title and was named the league’s coach of the year.
On Sunday, McElwain said he was “embarrassed” by the performance, adding “that speaks volumes about each person’s character that was involved in that event.”
McElwain’s second team has a chance to show his program’s progress.
“This is one that they’ve got to understand we’re representing the Gators and that’s different,” he said. “I felt that in today’s meeting.”
While beating Iowa will not make for a smooth offseason for McElwain, a loss could make for a miserable one. Fans see a program with more questions than answers and not enough successes on the recruiting trail. Three straight losses to end the season again will turn up the heat for the second-year coach.
“Very, very important,” left tackle David Sharpe called the bowl game. “Everybody has to still come and play hard. A lot of guys are going to be disappointed, but will got to win the ball game for coach and all these seniors and the guys that’s leaving.”
The Outback Bowl will be UF’s 24th bowl game in the state during 43 bowl appearances. The Gators last appeared in the Outback Bowl in 2011, Urban Meyer’s final game at UF and Joe Paterno’s final game at Penn State. The Gators defeated the Nittany Lions 34-27. The Gators are 2-2 in four appearances in the game, including 1-1 against Iowa.